The concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in the onion and tomato irrigated by wastewater: A systematic review; meta-analysis and health risk assessment

Accumulation and translocation of lead and cadmium in Lyophyllum decastes

Lyophyllum decastes (L. decastes) is a very precious edible mushroom. With simple structure, mushrooms have been proved to have the phenomenon of accumulating heavy metals. To investigate the accumulation and transfer of L. decastes to heavy metals and the effects of heavy metals on agronomic traits and yield, we used lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) inhibitory test for L. decastes. The results indicated that the addition of Pb and Cd affected the growth of aerial mycelium, and thus decreased the growth rate of mycelia. At a Cd concentration of 50 mg L-1, the mycelium reached its maximum tolerance concentration, but the maximum tolerance concentration of the mycelium had exceeded 1500 mg L-1. The addition of Pb and Cd led to the deterioration of agronomic traits and the decrease of yield. At the same concentration (20 mg kg-1), the negative effects of Cd on agronomic traits and yield were greater than that of Pb. The BAF values of the pileus and stipes under Pb treatments were < 1, which indicated that L. decastes was the bioexcluders of the elements Pb. The TF values were all greater than 1 under Cd treatments, indicated that the transfer ability of Cd was strong. This advancement has enhanced our knowledge of how heavy metals accumulate and distribute in mushrooms. The transfer ability of Cd was strong.

Toxic heavy metals of agricultural products in developing countries and its human health risk assessment: A study from Iran

Food toxicity through heavy metals, particularly from cereal consumption, poses significant threats to human health. This study studied various toxic heavy metals (Pb, As, Cr, Cd, Co, Hg, and Ag) in cereal products and their human health risk assessment in Ilam province, Iran. This study analyzed 30 samples of the most commonly cultivated cereals (wheat, rice, corn, pea, and lentil) in Ilam province. ICP-MS was used to measure the concentrations of selected toxic heavy metals. According to the obtained results, only the rice samples had concentrations of As and Pb that exceeded Iran's national standards. Monte Carlo simulation showed that the 95th percentile (P95th) values of hazard quotient (HQ) for As in wheat and rice, Hg in wheat, and Pb in rice were above 1. Moreover, P95th values of incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for As in wheat and rice were above 10-4 The findings showed that the consumption of wheat and rice in the Ilam province was a potential source of exposure to As, Pb, and Hg. This study recommends the necessity of monitoring heavy metals in cereal products to protect human health.

The concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in honey: Global systematic review and meta-analysis and risk assessment

The papers were searched in databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of science, Embase, Science Direct until 21 September 2023 and meta-analysis of concentration of PTEs in honey was performed using random effects model based on country subgroups. The non-carcinogenic risk and carcinogenic risk were calculated by Target Hazard Quotient (THQ) and Cancer Risk (CR), respectively. The sort of PTEs in honey based on pooled concentration was Cu (1.10E + 02 µg/kg) > Ni (1.80E + 01 µg/kg) > Pb (2.60E + 00 µg/kg) > Hg (1.50E + 00 µg/kg) > Cd (5.10E-01 µg/kg) > As (4.80E-01 µg/kg). The concentration of PTEs in the countries of Ethiopia (As), Jordan (Cd and Pb), Thailand (Ni), Brazil (Cu and MeHg) was observed to be higher than other countries. The non-carcinogenic risk was less than 1, hence, the consumption of honey does not have non-carcinogenic risk. Except children in Nigeria, CR due to iAs in honey was acceptable for the both adults and children in the other countries, Therefore, the consumption of honey does not have carcinogenic risk.

Impact of Metal-Containing Industrial Effluents on Leafy Vegetables and Associated Human Health Risk

One of the primary sources of trace elements in the environment is wastewater used for irrigation. However, the effects of untreated wastewater containing high concentrations of chromium and zinc on vegetables and the potential human health risks associated with their consumption are poorly understood. This pot experiment aimed to address this research gap. The accumulation of chromium and zinc and their effect on the biochemical parameters of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) and green onion (Allium fistulosum L.) irrigated with untreated industrial effluents were assessed. The average concentrations of chromium and zinc in the edible parts of the vegetables ranged between 7.36 and 7.58 mg/kg dry weight and 59.8 and 833 mg/kg dry weight, respectively. The irrigation of the lettuce with the effluent containing zinc at a concentration of 2.95 mg/L led to a significant increase in the content of phenols and the antioxidant activity. A significant reduction in the chlorophyll content of the lettuce leaves and the antioxidant activity of the onion leaves was observed when the plants were irrigated with the effluent containing zinc at a concentration of 78 mg/L. No non-carcinogenic health risk from the intake of chromium and zinc was identified through the consumption of lettuce and green onion, primarily due to the fact that a smaller proportion of the total metal content was transferred to their edible parts.

Bioactive Peptides and Other Immunomodulators of Mushroom Origin

For centuries, humans have used mushrooms as both food and pro-health supplements. Mushrooms, especially those related to the functions of the human immune system, are rich in dietary fiber, minerals, essential amino acids, and various bioactive compounds and have significant health-promoting properties. Immunoregulatory compounds in mushrooms include lectins, terpenes, terpenoids, polysaccharides, and fungal immunomodulatory proteins (FIPs). The distribution of these compounds varies from one species of mushroom to another, and their immunomodulatory activities depend on the core structures and chemical modifications in the composition of the fractions. In this review, we describe active compounds from medical mushrooms. We summarize potential mechanisms for their in vitro and in vivo activities and detail approaches used in developing and applying bioactive compounds from mushrooms. Finally, we discuss applications of fungal peptides and highlight areas that require improvement before the widespread use of those compounds as therapeutic agents and explore the status of clinical studies on the immunomodulatory activities of mushrooms and their products, as well as the prospect of clinical application of AMPs as 'drug-like' compounds with great potential for treatment of non-healing chronic wounds and multiresistant infections.

Assessing Mineral Content and Heavy Metal Exposure in Abruzzo Honey and Bee Pollen from Different Anthropic Areas

Honey and bee pollen offer potential health benefits due to their nutrient and bioactive molecules, but they may also harbor contaminants such as heavy metals. This study aimed to assess the content of different metals, including Mg, Al, K, Ca, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Zn, Cu, As, Rb, Sr, Cd, Cs, Tl, Pb and U, in honey and bee pollen collected from different Abruzzo region (Italy) areas (A1, A2, A3, A4), characterized by different anthropic influences described by Corine Land Cover maps. Differences were observed in the mineral and heavy metal content associated with the influence of biotic and abiotic factors. Honeys were found to be safe in regard to non-carcinogenic risk in all the consumer categories (THQm < 1). A particular carcinogenic risk concern was identified for toddlers associated with Cr (LCTR > 1 × 10-4) in A1, A2 and A3 apiaries. Pb and Ni represent potential non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic health risks in children and adults due to bee pollen consumption, showing high values of THQm and LCTR. The results suggest the advantages of utilizing bee products to screen mineral and heavy metal content, providing valuable insights into environmental quality and potential health risks.

Human health risk assessment of toxic heavy metals in summer crops and vegetables: a study in Ilam Province, Iran

Purpose

The presence of toxic heavy metals (HMs) in agricultural crops ‎can be considered as a noteworthy threat for consumers. The aim of this study was to assess the content of HMs ‎(Pb, As, Cr, Cd, Co, Hg, and Ag) and their potential health risk in summer crops and vegetables (watermelon, cantaloupe, cucumber, melon, tomato, onion, ‎potato, raw and stewed vegetables) in Ilam province, Iran.

Methods

Totally, 31 crop samples were collected from local farms during the 2019 harvest ‎season and the elements ‎ content were evaluated using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The non-carcinogenic health risk of HMs to the adults and children was estimated by Monte Carlo simulation method and target hazard quotients (THQs).

Results

In general, the results showed that the concentration of Cr in the studied ‎agricultural crops was higher than other HMs. As well as, the carcinogenic risk (CR) obtained for adults and children were more than the acceptable range for As. Also, CR for As in raw vegetable was the most (‎8.19E-1) and violated the threshold risk limit. The total carcinogenic risk of HMs in children was higher than that in adults.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the agricultural crops were not safe for human consumption with potential risks associated. Due to the possible health effects of such products consumption, proper action should be taken to avoid chronic exposure, prevention of further pollution and consequent adverse health implications.

Evaluation of the Effects of Wastewater Irrigation on Heavy Metal Accumulation in Vegetables and Human Health in the Cauliflower Example : Heavy Metal Accumulation in Cauliflower

The goals of the present research were to determine the heavy metal contents in the water-soil-cauliflower samples in industrial wastewater irrigated areas and to assess the health risks of these metals to the people. Metal analyses were carried out using the atomic absorption spectrophotometer equipped with a graphite furnace. The metal readings in the cauliflower specimens ranged from 1.153 to 1.389, 0.037 to 0.095, 0.61 to 0.892, 0.625 to 0.921, 1.165 to 2.399, 0.561 to 0.652, 0.565 to 0.585, 0.159 to 0.218 and 1.268 to 1.816 mg/kg for Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn and Mn, respectively. Statistics revealed that, with the exception of Pb and Co (p > 0.05), there was no statistically significant variation in the metal concentrations in the cauliflower samples according to the irrigation type. Pb, Ni, and Cr had HRI values below 1.0 and did not seem to be a hazard to human health, in contrast to Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb, Zn and Mn, which glanced to constitute a health risk. Regular monitoring of vegetables irrigated with wastewater is strongly advised to reduce health hazards to people.

Molecular prevalence of Coxiella burnetii in cheese samples: Systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Cheese is a popular dairy product consumed worldwide, and it has been implicated as a source of Coxiella burnetii infections.

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed to describe the molecular prevalence and source analysis of C. burnetii in cheese samples.

METHODS

A systematic literature search was conducted using the Medline/PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases to identify studies reporting the molecular prevalence of C. burnetii in cheese samples. The pooled prevalence of C. burnetii in cheese samples was estimated using a random-effects model.

RESULTS

A meta-analysis was conducted using the mean and standard deviation values obtained from 13 original studies. The overall molecular prevalence of C. burnetii in cheese was estimated to be 25.2% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 13.1%-39.7%). The I2 value of 96.3% (CI95% 94.9-97.3) suggested high heterogeneity, with a τ2 of 0.642 (CI95% -0.141 to 0.881), and an χ2 statistic of 323.77 (p < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, our meta-analysis provides a thorough assessment of the molecular prevalence and source analysis of C. burnetii in cheese samples.

Analysis of the Chemical and Medicinal Properties of Armillaria ostoyae (Agaricomycetes) Extracts and the Presence of Heavy Metals in Dry Basidiocarps

We investigated the chemical and medicinal properties of methanolic and acetonic extracts of Armillaria ostoyae and the presence of heavy metals in its dry basidiocarps. The chemical content of extracts was analyzed with the HPLC-DAD-MS/MS method. According to our results, the most abundant mineral was potassium; the most abundant organic acid was malic acid; the most abundant carbohydrate was fructose, and the most abundant polyphenol was chlorogenic acid. The antimicrobial potential was evaluated using the microdilution assay, and the results ranged from 0.62 to 20 mg/mL. Antioxidant potential was studied by DPPH [half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the methanolic extract was 619.67 μg/mL and of the acetonic extract was 533.65 μg/mL] and reducing power assays (the results ranged from 0.025 to 0.078 μg/mL). Total phenolic content was presented as gallic acid equivalent (methanolic extract, 6.12 mg GAE/g; acetonic extract, 3.99 mg GAE/g). The antidiabetic potential was explored by applying the α-amylase (the results ranged from 39.62 to 44.33%) and α-glucosidase assays (the results were in the range of 0.27-2.51%). The neuroprotective activity was asserted by the acetylcholinesterase inhibition assay (the results were in the range of 3.06-6.09%). The cytotoxic potential was investigated using the microtetrazolium assay, and the IC50 values ranged from 221.96 to > 400 μg/mL. Heavy metal content of the dry basidiocarps was evaluated using the AAS method and iron was the most abundant metal. A. ostoyae is a conditionally edible mushroom, which was not studied thoroughly before, thus this research will provide valuable knowledge about this species.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of pollutants in environmental media

Environmental pollutants are ubiquitous in our environmental media, resulting in detrimental impacts on both humans and the environment. An evidence-based review, particularly a systematic review and meta-analysis, performs a crucial function in assessing the pollution status of pollutants in environmental media at national and global scales. We selected and thoroughly investigated 76 papers focusing on systematic reviews and meta-analyses of contaminants in environmental media. The need to broaden the scope of studies was observed with an increase in the total number of publications, and there were greater focuses on food safety, water pollution, biological pollution, and environmental risks. Furthermore, this review outlined the fundamental procedures involved in a systematic review and meta-analysis, including literature searching, screening of articles, study quality analysis, data extraction and synthesis, and meta-analysis. A meta-analysis typically comprises fixed- and/or random-effects meta-analysis, identifying and measuring heterogeneity, sensitivity analysis, publication bias, subgroup analysis, and meta-regression. We specifically explored the application of meta-analysis to assess the presence of contaminants in environmental media based on two different pollutant categories, namely, non-biological and biological pollutants. The mean value is commonly utilized to assess the pooled concentration of non-biological pollutants, while the prevalence serves as the effect size of biological pollutants. Additionally, we summarized the innovative applications, frequent misuses, and problems encountered in systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Finally, we proposed several suggestions for future research endeavors.

Influence of Industrial Wastewater Irrigation on Heavy Metal Content in Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.): Ecological and Health Risk Assessment

The primary objective of this study was to determine the heavy metal contents in the water-soil-coriander samples in an industrial wastewater irrigated area and to assess the health risks of these metals to consumers. Sampling was done from areas adjoining the Chistian sugar mill district Sargodha and two separate sites irrigated with groundwater (Site 1), and sugar mill effluents (Site 2) were checked for possible metal contamination. The water-soil-coriander continuum was tested for the presence of cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), manganese (Ni), lead (Pb), and zinc (Zn). The mean concentrations of all metals were higher than the permissible limits for all studied metals except for Mn in the sugar mill wastewater, with Fe (8.861 mg/L) and Zn (9.761 mg/L) exhibiting the highest values. The mean levels of Fe (4.023 mg/kg), Cd (2.101 mg/kg), Cr (2.135 mg/kg), Cu (2.180 mg/kg), and Ni (1.523 mg/kg) were high in the soil at Site 2 in comparison to the groundwater irrigated site where Fe (3.232 mg/kg) and Cd (1.845 mg/kg) manifested high elemental levels. For coriander specimens, only Cd had a higher mean level in both the groundwater (1.245 mg/kg) and the sugar mill wastewater (1.245 mg/kg) irrigated sites. An estimation of the pollution indices yielded a high risk from Cd (health risk index (HRI): 173.2), Zn (HRI: 7.012), Mn (HRI: 6.276), Fe (HRI: 1.709), Cu (HRI: 1.282), and Ni (HRI: 1.009), as all values are above 1.0 indicating a hazard to human health from consuming coriander irrigated with wastewater. Regular monitoring of vegetables irrigated with wastewater is strongly advised to reduce health hazards to people.

The concentration of pesticides in tomato: a global systematic review, meta-analysis, and health risk assessment

To improve farming productivity, a large number of pesticides have been used worldwide in recent decades, leading to the pollution of soil, agri-products, and water, directly/indirectly affecting human health. In this regard, many studies were conducted in different countries on residual pesticides in the environment. In the current study, residual pesticides including chlorpyrifos, cypermethrin, diazinon, malathion, and metalaxyl in tomatoes were meta-analyzed and health risk of consumers was estimated. For this purpose, based on a systematic review, data from 47 studies were extracted and meta-analyzed, and the health impact of pooled concentrations was assessed via a health risk method. According to the results, metalaxyl had the most concentration followed by malathion, cypermethrin, diazinon, and chlorpyrifos, respectively. The non-carcinogenic risk (n-CR) was calculated from crop consumption also showed that exposure to malathion has the most risk. Among the investigated communities, Iranian consumers were in considerable health risk (THQ > 1). Considering that the potential for the use of pesticides will increase with the need for food in the future, hence, governments must manage the usage by governments via alternative methods such as cultural, biological, physical, and genetic modifications.

The Level of Heavy Metal in Fresh and Processed Fruits: A Study Meta-analysis, Systematic Review, and Health Risk Assessment

Intake of fruits is important for health. However, it can be a contamination source of potentially toxic elements (PTEs). The present study aimed to investigate the concentration of PTEs such as arsenic (As), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), and Iron (Fe) in various fresh and processed fruits. All the studies related to the concentration of PTEs in fresh and processed fruits by international databases including were included and non-carcinogenic risks assessment was evaluated based on the total hazard quotient (TTHQ). According to findings highest concentrations of As, Cd and Pb were observed in pineapple, mango, and cherry, while the lowest concentrations of these metals were found in berries, pineapple, and berries. Regarding trace elements, peach and cucumber represented the highest and lowest concentrations of Fe, respectively. Moreover, the highest and lowest concentrations of Cu were related to plum and banana, respectively. Considering the type of continents, the highest concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Fe, Ni, and Cu among fresh and processed fruits belonged to Pan American Health Organization (EMRO), EMRO, African Region (AFRO), European Region (EURO), AFRO, and Western Pacific Region (SEARO). Eventually, the non-carcinogenic risk assessment of the heavy metal in fresh and processed fruits indicated that the risk pattern was different in various countries and the calculated TTHQ level in infants was below 1. Overall, the consumption of fresh and processed fruits is safe and does not pose a risk to the health of consumers.

Nicotine consumption rate through wastewater-based epidemiology: a systematic review, meta-analysis and probabilistic risk assessment

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE), as a rapid tool, is used to measure and monitor illicit drug consumption in the population. This method is also used to bridge biomarkers of exposure, contaminants, and human health. Smoking cigarettes and tobacco use are everyday habits in nowadays community. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to calculate nicotine consumption globally. The related studies were retrieved within international databases including Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, up to February 2021. It included twenty-one articles containing 87 measurements covering 275.3 million people with total wastewater samples of 2250. Results showed that the highest and lowest nicotine consumption rate (mg/1000 inh./day) was in Portugal (5860) and Vietnam (1201), respectively. The global pooled nicotine consumption rate was 2476 mg/1000 inh./day (95% CI (2289-2663). Based on WBE results, the average daily cigarette smoked per smoker is 14 (95% CI: 10-18 cigarettes/inh./day), close to the value of 14.2 reported by the survey and interview studies. Risk assessment of the nicotine consumption rate through WBE was calculated by the margin of exposure (MOE) approach. In total, 82% of nicotine consumption measurements were located in the "risk" level (MOE < 100), and 18% of the MOE values were between 100-1000. The results reveal that nicotine consumption risks need immediate global and local action strategies. Finally, these findings are helpful for healthcare agencies and policy-makers to take action against tobacco use prevalence.

Contaminant uptake in wastewater irrigated tomatoes

As population growth and climate change add to the problem of water scarcity in many regions, the argument for using treated wastewater for irrigation is becoming increasingly compelling, which makes understanding the risks associated with the uptake of harmful chemicals by crops crucial. In this study, the uptake of 14 chemicals of emerging concern (CECs) and 27 potentially toxic elements (PTEs) was studied in tomatoes grown in soil-less (hydroponically) and soil (lysimeters) media irrigated with potable and treated wastewater using LC-MS/MS and ICP-MS. Bisphenol S, 2,4 bisphenol F, and naproxen were detected in fruits irrigated with spiked potable water and wastewater under both conditions, with BPS having the highest concentration (0.034-0.134 µg kg^-1 f. w.). The levels of all three compounds were statistically more significant in tomatoes grown hydroponically (<LOQ - 0.137 µg kg^-1 f. w.) than in soil (<LOQ - 0.083 µg kg^-1 f. w.). Their elemental composition shows differences between tomatoes grown hydroponically or in soil and tomatoes irrigated with wastewater and potable water. Contaminants at determined levels showed low dietary chronic exposure. When the health-based guidance values for the studied CECs are determined, results from this study will be helpful for risk assessors.

Long-term waterborne Cu2+ exposure affects collagen metabolism in fish

Copper pollution might have a negative effect on collagen metabolism in fish. To test this hypothesis, we exposed an important economical fish, silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus), to three concentrations of Cu²⁺ for up to 21 days to simulate natural exposure to copper. With increasing copper exposure concentration and time, hematoxylin and eosin staining and picrosirius red staining revealed extensive vacuolization, cell necrosis, and tissue structure destruction, and a change of type and abnormal accumulation of collagen in the liver, intestine, and muscle tissues. To further study the mechanism of collagen metabolism disorder caused by copper exposure, we cloned and analyzed a key collagen metabolism regulation gene, timp, of silver pomfret. The full-length timp2b cDNA was 1035 bp with an open reading frame of 663 bp, encoding a protein of 220 amino acids. Copper treatment significantly increased the expression of akts, erks, and fgfs genes and decreased the mRNA and protein expression of Timp2b and MMPs. Finally, we constructed a silver pomfret muscle cell line (PaM) for the first time and used PaM Cu²⁺ exposure models (450 μM Cu²⁺ exposure for 9 h) to examine regulation function of the timp2b-mmps system. We knocked down or overexpressed timp2b in the model, and found that downregulation of mmps expression and upregulation of akt/erk/fgf were further aggravated in the timp2b^- group (subjected to RNA interference), whereas some recovery was achieved in the timp2b⁺ group (overexpression). These results indicated that long-term excessive copper exposure can lead to tissue damage and abnormal collagen metabolism in fish, which might be caused by the alteration of akt/erk/fgf expression, which disrupts the effects of the timp2b-mmps system on extracellular matrix balance. The present study assessed the impact of copper on the collagen of fish and clarified its regulatory mechanism, providing a basis for toxicity of copper pollution study.

Concentration of essential and non-essential elements and carcinogenic / non-carcinogenic health risk assessment of commercial bee pollens from Turkey

BACKGROUND

Bee pollen, known as a natural super-food with valuable nutritional ingredients, is regarded as a good indicator of ecotoxic substances, such as potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Therefore, this study aims to examine the concentrations of selected PTEs (Al, As, Ba, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mg, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Se, Sn, Sr, V, Zn) in bee pollen purchased from online markets in Turkey and perform a health risk assessment to identify the potential risk to consumers.

METHODS

The quantitative analyses were conducted by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES).

RESULTS

The mean values of essential PTEs in decreasing content order were Mg > Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Ni > Se > Cr > Mo >Co = V. Regarding the results of the study, daily consumption (40 g for adult or 20 g for children) of commercial bee pollen can recompense 20-35 % of daily Cu, Mn, Se requirements for children, adults, pregnant, and breastfeeding women. The decreasing content order of non-essential elements was Al > Sn > Sr > Ba > Pb > As. Cadmium and Hg concentrations were below the detection limits in all the samples. In terms of food and public health; detection of the PTEs concentrations is necessary to assess the quality and safety of bee pollen before consumption. According to the carcinogenic and non-carcinogenic risk assessments; commercial pollen consumption does not pose a health risk to either children or adults for the PTEs monitored in this study.

CONCLUSION

We conclude that bee pollen is an ideal indicator for the monitoring of environmental pollution of PTEs and also a valuable source of essential elements. This study highlights the need to develop standards that regulate acceptable concentrations of PTEs.

Concentration of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in eggplant vegetable (Solanum melongena) irrigated with wastewater: a systematic review and meta-analysis and probabilistic health risk assessment

The main objectives of this study were PHEs concentration meta-analysis (Fe, Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, and Cd) in eggplant irrigated by wastewater and the following estimation of non-carcinogenic (n-CR) risk for the consumers based on countries. According to the results, the rank order of PHEs concentration in eggplant was Fe (88.3 mg/kg -dry weight) > Zn (10.1 mg/kg -dry weight) > Pb (3.0 mg/kg -dry weight) > Ni (2.7 mg/kg -dry weight) > Cu (1.1 mg/kg -dry weight) > Cd (0.9 mg/kg -dry weight) > Cr (0.05 mg/kg -dry weight). Moreover, n-CR risk showed that all investigated countries (China, India, Pakistan, Turkey, and Jordan) except for United Arab Emirates (UAE) had a considerable n-CR in both age groups (adults and children).

Recovery, regeneration and sustainable management of spent adsorbents from wastewater treatment streams: A review

Adsorption is the most widely adopted, effective, and reliable treatment process for the removal of inorganic and organic contaminants from wastewater. One of the major issues with the adsorption-treatment process for the removal of contaminants from wastewater streams is the recovery and sustainable management of spent adsorbents. This review focuses on the effectiveness of emerging adsorbents and how the spent adsorbents could be recovered, regenerated, and further managed through reuse or safe disposal. The critical analysis of both conventional and emerging adsorbents on organic and inorganic contaminants in wastewater systems are evaluated. The various recovery and regeneration techniques of spent adsorbents including magnetic separation, filtration, thermal desorption and decomposition, chemical desorption, supercritical fluid desorption, advanced oxidation process and microbial assisted adsorbent regeneration are discussed in detail. The current challenges for the recovery and regeneration of adsorbents and the methodologies used for solving those problems are covered. The spent adsorbents are managed through regeneration for reuse (such as soil amendment, capacitor, catalyst/catalyst support) or safe disposal involving incineration and landfilling. Sustainable management of spent adsorbents, including processes involved in the recovery and regeneration of adsorbents for reuse, is examined in the context of resource recovery and circular economy. Finally, the review ends with the current drawbacks in the recovery and management of the spent adsorbents and the future directions for the economic and environmental feasibility of the system for industrial-scale application.

Effect of vanadium on Lactuca sativa L. growth and associated health risk for human due to consumption of the vegetable

Elevated vanadium in the environment adversely affects organisms, including plants, animals, and humans. Plants act as the main conduit for environmental vanadium to enter the food chain, and simultaneously their growth response characteristics reflect vanadium toxicity efficacy for plants. The aim of the present study is to investigate lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) growth involving morphological change, physiological adjustment, vanadium accumulation under vanadium stress, and the potential health risk (expressed as health risk index (HRI)) of adults and children who consume it. Lettuce was grown in nutrient solution with 0, 0.1, 0.5, 2.0, and 4.0 mg L-1 of pentavalent vanadium [V(V)]. Results showed that 0.1 mg L-1 V did not significantly affect lettuce growth versus control, and marked depression arose at ≥ 0.5 mg L-1 V. Foliar proline increased rapidly at ≥ 0.5 mg L-1 V. No striking change emerged in leaf cell membrane permeability at all treatments. V(V) and total vanadium concentration in plant tissues were ordered as root > stem > leaf, while tetravalent vanadium [V(IV)] was leaf > root > stem. No health risk (HRI < 1) exists for adults and children who consume lettuce at control treatment. However, the health risk occurs (HRI ˃ 1) when they both ingest the seedlings exposed to ≥ 0.1 mg L-1 V, and the risk overall markedly increases with increasing vanadium. Therefore, enough attention needs to be paid to the human health associated with the ingestion of vegetables like lettuce grown in substrata contaminated by vanadium.

The concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in sausages: a systematic review and meta-analysis study

The contamination of fresh meat and meat products like sausages with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is a worldwide health concern. Consequently, the related investigations concerning the levels of PTEs in sausages among databases such as Scopus, Cochrane, and PubMed were investigated 1 January 2000 to 20 August 2020. Furthermore, the concentration of PTEs in sausages was meta-analyzed based on the random effect model (REM). The findings indicated that the rank order of PTEs in sausage was Fe (432.154 μg/kg) > Cu (152.589 μg/kg) > Zn (93.813 μg/kg) > Cr (6.040 μg/kg) > Pb (1.524 μg/kg) > Ni (0.525 μg/kg) > Cd (0.115 μg/kg) > As (0.066 μg/kg). Our results showed that the PTE concentration in sausages was lower than the permitted limit except for Pb in samples reported from Nigeria, China, and Turkey. Therefore, continuous monitoring of PTEs in such products was recommended.

Potentially Toxic Elements (PTEs) in the Fillet of Narrow-Barred Spanish Mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson): a Global Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and Risk Assessment

The contamination of seafood like narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) fillets by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) has converted to worldwide health concerns. In this regard, the related citations regarding the concentration of PTEs in fillets of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel were collected through some of the international databases such as Scopus, Cochrane, PubMed, and Scientific Information Database (SID) up to 10 March 2020. The concentration of PTEs in fillets of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel fish was meta-analyzed and the health risk (non-carcinogenic risk) was estimated by the total target hazard quotient (TTHQ). The meta-analysis of data indicated that the rank order of PTEs in fillet of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel was Fe (10,853.29 μg/kg-ww) > Zn (4007.00 μg/kg-ww) > Cu (1005.66 μg/kg-ww) > total Cr (544.14 μg/kg-ww) > Mn (515.93 μg/kg-ww) > Ni (409.90 μg/kg-ww) > Pb (180.99 μg/kg-ww) > As (93.11 μg/kg-ww) > methyl Hg (66.60 μg/kg-ww) > Cd (66.03 μg/kg-ww). The rank order of health risk assessment based on the country by the aid of TTHQ for adult consumers was Malaysia (0.22251) > Philippines (0.21912) > Egypt (0.08684) > Taiwan (0.07430) > Bahrain (0.04893) > Iran (0.03528) > China (0.00620) > Pakistan (0.00316) > Yemen (0.00157) > India (0.00073). In addition, the rank order of health risk assessment based on the country by the aid of TTHQ for child consumers was Malaysia (1.03838) > Philippines (1.02257) > Egypt (0.40523) > Taiwan (0.34674) > Bahrain (0.22832) > Iran (0.16466) > China (0.02892) > Pakistan (0.01474) > Yemen (0.00731) > India (0.00340). Therefore, the children in Malaysia and the Philippines were at considerable non-carcinogenic risk. Hence, approaching the recommended control plans in order to decrease the non-carcinogenic risk associated with the ingestion of PTEs via the consumption of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel fish fillets is crucial.

Impact of Irrigation with Treated Domestic Wastewater on Squash (Cucurbita pepo L.) Fruit and Seed under Semi-Arid Conditions

The present study investigated the effect of using municipal treated wastewater in irrigation on plant growth and seed quality of squash as compared to fresh water. The physico-chemical properties of both water sources were investigated. Soil, fruits and seeds were tested for heavy metals presence and accumulation. A number of seed composition parameters were also measured. Growth parameters (fruit length, diameter and oven-dried weight) were increased in response to irrigation with treated wastewater as compared to control. All tested heavy metals concentrations were below the toxic limit of the Jordanian standards. Crude protein content was highest (41.28%) in naked seeds under treated wastewater treatment, whereas the lowest content (33.57%) was under freshwater treatment of the whole seeds.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, pesticides, and metals in olive: analysis and probabilistic risk assessment

In the present study, levels of 22 pesticides, eight metals, and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in 1800 Iranian olive samples (20 cultivars from six different cultivation zones), were determined; then, health risk posed by oral consumption of the olive samples to Iranian consumers was assessed. Quantification of PAHs and pesticides was done by chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and metal levels were determined using inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES). There were no significant differences among the cultivars and zones in terms of the levels of the tested compounds. Target hazard quotients (THQ) were <1.0 for all pesticides, and total hazard indices (HI) indicated di minimis risk. At the 25th or 95th centiles, Incremental Life Time Cancer Risks (ILCRs) for carcinogenic elements, arsenic, and lead and noncarcinogenic metals did not exhibit a significant hazard (HI <1.0 for both cases). At the 25th or 95th centiles, ILCR and margins of exposure (MoE) for PAHs indicated di minimis risk. Sensitivity analysis showed that concentrations of contaminants had the most significant effect on carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic risks.

Concentration of Potentially Harmful Elements (PHEs) in Trout Fillet (Rainbow and Brown) Fish: a Global Systematic Review and Meta-analysis and Health Risk Assessment

In this work, articles regarding the concentration on potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in fillet trout (rainbow and brown) fishes were retrieved from Cochrane, Scopus, and PubMed databases between 1 January 1983 and 30 April 2020. The pooled concentration of PHEs in fillet trout fishes was meta-analyzed using a random-effect model (REM) and following the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks was calculated using the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) method. The meta-analysis of 42 articles (43 data report) revealed that a sort of PHEs in fillet trout was 19,996.64 μg/kg ww for Fe; 1834.75 μg/kg ww for Co; 772.21 μg/kg ww for Cu; 335.78 μg/kg ww for Ni; 290.46 μg/kg ww for Se; 226.20for Cr; 178.11 μg/kg ww for Pb; 77.40 μg/kg ww for Hg; 19.40 μg/kg ww for Cd; and 3.66 μg/kg ww for inorganic As. The non-carcinogenic risk assessment indicated that the lowest and highest hazard index (HI) in the adults was Pakistan (0.0012) and Turkey (0.2388), respectively, and in children was Pakistan (0.0057) and Turkey (1.114), respectively. The non-carcinogenic risk was acceptable for adult consumers in all countries (HI > 1 value) but non-carcinogenic risk for children was not acceptable in Turkey. The sort of countries based on carcinogenic risk in the adults due to inorganic As was China (1.44E-06) > Iran (9.14E-08) > Turkey (4.45E-08) > Portugal (9.04E-10). The carcinogenic risk was threshold for adult consumers in China (CR < 10^-6). Consumption of fillet trout (rainbow and brown) content of PHEs in many countries cannot endanger the health of consumers.

Fuzzy health risk assessment and integrated management of toxic elements exposure through soil-vegetables-farmer pathway near urban industrial complexes

Urban industrial areas were being built globally, which decreased key geographical separation between agriculture and industrial areas, especially in developing countries. Now, limited studies concerned coordinated the vegetables and soil management for toxic elements (TEs) in this mixed land system. To fill this gap, an integrated environmental multi-media risk management method was explored based on laboratory analysis, health risk assessment, uncertainty control, and source apportionment. The Chinese Beihu area of Wuhan City was selected as a typical case and the measurements of Zn, Cr, Cu, Pb, As, and Cd in soil revealed that TEs pollution was slight and concentrations met the Chinese standards. Meanwhile, some vegetables exceeded corresponding standard limits. To further quantify negative health effects posed by the studied TEs both in soils and vegetables, an established fuzzy health risk assessment for farmers was employed and the results indicated that the soil exposure of As and the vegetable consumption needed the priority control. The carcinogenic risk (CR) of As in soil was [4.60E-6, 1.45E-5] and the cumulative CR (sum of CR_As, CR_Pb and CR_Cd) in leafy vegetables was [1.08E-4, 1.38E-4], which was higher than that of the other vegetables. Preventing soil oral exposure and reducing self-grown vegetable consumption (30%-50%) were proven as effective risk interventions via uncertainty control methods. Spatially, the risk grades under maximum membership principle decreased from south to north in the Beihu area, and the south area was identified as the priority control area. Source apportionment identified four source patterns (Zn-Cr-Cu, Pb, As, and Cd) for soil, and the probable bioaccumulation mechanisms for leafy vegetables by multivariate statistical analyses. Finally, the integrated management strategies were formulated from perspectives of the risk sources, exposure pathways and the scenario.

Accumulation of potentially harmful elements (PHEs) in lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) irrigated with wastewater: a systematic review and meta-analysis and probabilistic health risk assessment

Water shortage and stress around the world lead to increasing wastewater reuse for the agricultural sector. In addition to its benefits, it can be a way to transfer pollutants such as potentially harmful elements (PHEs) to the human food chain. Many studies have been conducted for this purpose on various vegetables; however, no comprehensive study has been performed on lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.). In this respect, the study was aimed to meta-analyze the PHEs concentration in the edible part of lettuce and coriander vegetables irrigated by wastewater. Carcinogenic risk (CR) and noncarcinogenic risk (non-CR) assessments were also done for consumers. After reviewing 32 included articles (41 studies), the rank order of the PHEs in lettuce was obtained as Fe (194.76 mg/kg) > Zn (133.47 mg/kg) > Cu (55.70 mg/kg) > Ni (26.96 mg/kg) > Pb (12.80 mg/kg) > Cr (9.68 mg/kg) Cd (8.24 mg/kg) > As (1.13 mg/kg) and for coriander Fe (1056 mg/kg) > Zn (79.80 mg/kg) > Cr (28.34 mg/kg) > Ni (24.71 mg/kg) > Cu (17.46 mg/kg) > Pb (13.23 mg/kg) > Cd (2.23 mg/kg). Total target hazard quotient (TTHQ) for adults in all countries except UAE, France, and Kenya and for children all countries except Kenya was more than 1 value. The carcinogenic risk for adult groups in Nigeria, France, China, and Iran countries was not acceptable (CR > 1E-4). As a consequence, it can be noted that wastewater reuse in the agriculture sector can endanger the health of consumers.

Prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. in water: a global systematic review and meta-analysis

Cryptosporidium spp., as a genus of protozoan intestinal parasites, is recognized as responsible for cryptosporidiosis. The present study was conducted to provide an overview of the prevalence of Cryptosporidium based on water. In this regard, some databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were screened in order to retrieve the related citations from 1 January 1983 to 10 September 2019. The pooled prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. was calculated by using a random effect model (REM) based on defined subgroups, including countries, water type, treatment conditions (treated and untreated), economic condition, World Health Organization (WHO) regions, and method of detection. In contrast, this index for treated and untreated water was 25.7% and 40.1%, respectively. Also, the overall prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. among all water types was defined as 36 (95% CI: 31.4-40.7). The rank order of prevalence of Cryptosporidium spp. based on water type was wastewater (46.9%) > surface water (45.3%) > raw water (31.6%) > drinking water (25.5%) > reservoirs water (24.5%) > groundwater (18.8%) > swimming pool water (7.5%) > marine water (0.20%). Identifying the key contributing factors to Cryptosporidium spp. survival can help provide solutions at both local and global scales.

The concentration and probabilistic risk assessment of potentially toxic elements in fillets of silver pomfret (Pampus argenteus): A global systematic review and meta-analysis

The contamination of fish type products such as silver pomfret fish fillets by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) has raised global health concerns. Related studies regarding the concentration of PTEs in fillets of silver pomfret fish were retrieved among some international databases such as Scopus, PubMed and Embase between 1 January 1983 and 10 March 2020. The pooled (mean) concentration of PTEs in fillets of silver pomfret fish was meta-analyzed with the aid of a random-effect model (REM). Also, the non-carcinogenic risk was estimated via calculating the 95th percentile of the total target hazard quotient (TTHQ). The meta-analysis of 21 articles (containing 25 studies or data reports) indicated that the ranking of PTEs in fillets of silver pomfret fish was Fe (11,414.81 µg/kg wet weight, ww) > Zn (6055.72 µg/kg ww) > Cr (1825.79 µg/kg ww) > Pb (1486.44 µg/kg ww) > Se (1053.47 µg/kg ww) > Cd (992.50 µg/kg ww) > Ni (745.23 µg/kg ww) > Cu (669.71 µg/kg ww) > total As (408.24 µg/kg ww) > Co (87.03 µg/kg ww) > methyl Hg (46.58 µg/kg ww). The rank order of health risk assessment by country based on the TTHQ for adult consumers was Malaysia (2.500) > Bangladesh (0.886) > Iran (0.144) > China (0.045) > Pakistan (0.020) > India (0.015), while the corresponding values for child consumers was Malaysia (11.790) > Bangladesh (4.146) > Iran (0.675) > China (0.206) > Pakistan (0.096) > India (0.077). The adult consumers in Malaysia and children in Malaysia and Bangladesh were at considerable non-carcinogenic risk. Therefore, following the recommended control plans in order to reduce the health risk associated with the ingestion of PTEs via consumption of silver pomfret fish fillets is crucial.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis to Investigate the Correlation Vegetable Irrigation with Wastewater and Concentration of Potentially Toxic Elements (PTES): a Case Study of Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and Radish (Raphanus raphanistrum subsp. sativus)

Water shortage and stress around the world lead to the reuse of wastewater in many sectors while the recycling of water in agriculture as one of the most consumed sectors can boost the contamination of crops by potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Therefore, this study was aimed to investigate the correlation between the accumulation of PTEs (Fe, Zn, Cr, Ni, Cu, Pb, As, Cd, and Se) in edible parts of spinach and radish plants and sewage irrigation by the aid of a meta-analysis. Moreover, the non-carcinogenic risk (N-CR) and carcinogenic risk (CR) for health risk assessment of consumers were assessed through actual total target hazard quotient (TTHQact) and carcinogenic risk (CRact). After the screening process, 51 articles with 75 studies were included. According to findings, the rank order of PTEs in spinach and radish were Fe > Zn > Cr > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cd > As > Se and Fe > Zn > Cr > Ni > Cu > Pb > As > Cd > Se, respectively. PTE adsorption by edible parts of spinach (leafy vegetable) was higher than radish. The health risk assessment shows that residents in Iran, India, and China are at N-CR while the population of Iran, India, and Pakistan are facing CR.

Techniques, perspectives, and challenges of bioactive peptide generation: A comprehensive systematic review

Due to the digestible refractory and absorbable structures of bioactive peptides (BPs), they could induce notable biological impacts on the living organism. In this regard, the current study was devoted to providing an overview regarding the available methods for BPs generation by the aid of a systematic review conducted on the published articles up to April 2019. In this context, the PubMed and Scopus databases were screened to retrieve the related publications. According to the results, although the characterization of BPs mainly has been performed using enzymatic and microbial in-vitro methods, they cannot be considered as suitable techniques for further stimulation of digestion in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, new approaches for both in-vivo and in-silico methods for BPs identification should be developed to overcome the obstacles that belonged to the current methods. The purpose of this review was to compile the recent analytical methods applied for studying various aspects of food-derived biopeptides, and emphasizing generation at in vitro, in vivo, and in silico.

The association between the lack of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities with intestinal Entamoeba spp infection risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Intestinal protozoa infections are responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality, especially where the exposed population suffers from a lack of drinking water and sanitation facilities. In this study, the association between the lack of safe drinking water and sanitation (toilet) facilities with intestinal Entamoeba spp infection in the children (5-11 years), adult (18-55 years), and all age (5-55 years) were assessed. For this purpose, some of the international databases such as Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were screened to up to 7 June 2019 in order to retrieve the related citations. Also, the pooled odds ratios (ORs) following 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. Twenty-nine articles with 36 studies were included while the OR extracted or calculated by using 2 × 2 contingency tables. However, the ingestion of contaminated water insignificantly can increase the odds ratio (OR) of Entamoeba spp infection (OR 1.01, (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58 to 1.43), no access to sanitation (toilet) facilities significantly can increase odds of Entamoeba spp infection (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.32). The meta-regression analysis showed that over time, odds of intestinal Entamoeba spp infection increased in both lack of safe drinking water (Coefficient: 3.24, P-value < 0.01) and sanitation (toilet) facilities (Coefficient: 2.36, P-value < 0.05) subgroups. Considering the findings, lack of safe drinking water resulted in a further increase in intestinal Entamoeba spp infection among adult (OR: 2.76), children (OR = 0.57) and all age groups (OR: 1.50), and also lack of sanitation (toilet) facilities resulted in further increase intestinal Entamoeba spp infection in children (OR: 1.06), adult (OR: 1.26) and all age (OR: 1.16). In this context, the lack of safe drinking water and sanitation facilities (toilet) was associated with a high risk of intestinal Entamoeba spp infection. Further attempts to providing public health facilities can control the prevalence of intestinal Entamoeba spp.

Tomato and lycopene and multiple health outcomes: Umbrella review

Lycopene is a potent lipophilic antioxidant in tomato. We aim to clarify the evidence for associations between tomato and lycopene and multiple health outcomes. Umbrella review of meta-analyses and systematic reviews was performed in humans. A total of 174 articles were searched, 17 articles with 20 health outcomes were identified by eligibility criteria. Tomato intake was inversely associated with all-cause mortality, coronary heart disease mortality, cerebrovascular disease mortality, prostate cancer, and gastric cancer. Dietary lycopene intake or serum lycopene was inversely associated with all-cause mortality, prostate cancer, stroke, cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and male infertility. Caution was warranted for potential allergy and pollution. The quality of the vast majority of evidence by GRADE was low or very low with the remaining six as moderate. The intake of tomato or lycopene was generally safe and beneficial for multiple health outcomes in humans. But the quality of the evidence was not high.

A global systematic review and meta-analysis on illicit drug consumption rate through wastewater-based epidemiology

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) is a complementary, well-established comprehensive, cost-effective, and rapid technique for monitoring of illicit drugs used in a general population. This systematic review and meta-analysis is the first to estimate the rank and consumption rate of illicit drugs through WBE studies. In the current study, the related investigations regarding the illicit drug consumption rate based on WBE were searched among the international databases including Scopus, PubMed, Science direct, Google scholar, and local database, Magiran from 2012 up to May 2019. The illicit drug consumption rate with 95% confidence intervals was pooled between studies by using random effect model. The heterogeneity was determined using I² statistics. Also, subgroup analyses were conducted to examine the possible effects of year and location of studies on observed heterogeneity. Meta-analysis of 37 articles indicates that the overall rank order of illicit drugs according to their pooled consumption rate can be summarized as tetrahydrocannabinol or cannabis (7417.9 mg/day/1000 people) > cocaine (655.7 mg/day/1000 people) > morphine (384.9 mg/day/1000 people) > methamphetamine (296.2 mg/day/1000 people) > codeine (222.7 mg/day/1000 people) > methadone (200.2 mg/day/1000 people) > 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (126.3 mg/day/1000 people) > amphetamine (118.2 mg/day/1000 people) > 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3, 3-diphenylpyrrolidine (33.7 mg/day/1000 people). The pooled level rate was 190.16 mg/day/1000 people for benzoylecgonine (main urinary cocaine metabolite), 137.9 mg/day/1000 people for 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (main metabolite of cannabis), and 33.7 mg/day/1000 people for 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3, 3-diphenylpyrrolidine (main metabolite of methadone). The I² values for all selected drugs were 100% (P value < 0.001). The results of year subgroup indicated that the changes of heterogeneity for all selected drugs were nearly negligible. The heterogeneity within studies based on continents subgroup just decreased in America for drugs like 11-nor-9-carboxy-delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (I² = 24.4%) and benzoylecgonine (I² = 94.1%). The outcome of this meta-analysis can be used for finding the illicit drugs with global serious problem in view of consumption rate (i.e., cannabis and cocaine) and helping authorities to combat them.

Acrylamide content of collected food products from Tehran's market: a risk assessment study

Acrylamide concentration in food products collected from the Tehran market was investigated by the aid of a dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction (DLLME) system coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Also, the dietary exposure distribution and related potential risk for acrylamide ingestion were estimated by the Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). The highest and lowest mean concentration of acrylamide was detected in coffee and roasted nuts samples as 549 and 133 μg/kg, respectively. The mean acrylamide dietary exposure values for children (3-10 years), adolescents (11-17 years), adults (18-60 years), and seniors (61-96 years) were estimated to be 1.81, 1.02, 0.61, and 0.53 μg/kg body weight (BW)/day, respectively. In all age groups, except children, the estimated exposure in men and boys was higher than that in women and girls. Bread, despite containing low acrylamide content groups (157 μg/kg while compared with other, except roasted nuts), showed with the highest contribution rate in all age groups due to its high consumption rate. The estimated incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) for all age groups was noted as greater than 10^-4 indicating serious risk to the population. Moreover, the margin of exposure (MOE) values based on carcinogenicity showed health concern to all age groups (< 10,000). Regarding the non-carcinogenic risk, the target hazard quotient (THQ) was lower than 1, and MOE based on neurotoxicity was higher than 125 (safety thresholds), which represented negligible and ignorable risk in all age groups except in a small group of children and adolescents. Graphical abstract.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of lead and cadmium concentrations in cow milk in Iran and human health risk assessment

The aim of the current research was to systematically review and summarize the studies that evaluated the concentration of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in cow milk in different regions of Iran and to perform a meta-analysis of the findings. Moreover, the non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of Pb and Cd through milk consumption in adult and child consumers were assessed. As a result of a systematic search in the international and national databases between January 2008 and October 2018, 17 reports involving 1874 samples were incorporated in our study for meta-analysis. The pooled concentrations of Pb and Cd were estimated to be 13.95 μg mL^-1 (95% CI 9.72-18.11 μg mL^-1) and 3.55 μg mL^-1 (95% CI - 2.38-9.48 μg mL^-1), respectively, which were lower than the WHO/FAO and national standard limits. The estimated weekly intake (EWI) of Pb and Cd through consuming milk was 16.65 and 7 μg day^-1 for adults of 70 kg and 45 and 34 μg day^-1 for children of 26 kg, respectively, which was well below the risk values set by Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). The maximum target hazard quotient values (THQs) of Pb and Cd were 5.55E-5 and 5.55E-5 for adults and 5.55E-5 and 5.55E-5 for children, respectively, which were lower than 1 value, suggesting that Iranian consumers are not exposed to non-carcinogenic risk through consuming milk. Moreover, the incremental lifetime cancer risk (ILCR) of Pb estimated to be 2.96E-04 in adults and 1.0E-03 in children, indicating that consumers in Iran are at threshold carcinogenic risk of Pb through consuming milk (ILCR > 10^-4). Therefore, planning and policy making for the sustainable reduction of these toxic metals in milk, particularly in industrial regions of Iran, are crucial.

The influence of processing and clarifier agents on the concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in pekmez (a grape molasses-like syrup)

The changes in some potentially toxic elements (PTEs) including lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) during pekmez (grape molasses-like syrup) processing and the utilization of various types of clarifiers (white soil, bentonite, and gelatin) in two levels (1.5 and 3% w/w) were analyzed. The average concentrations of Pb, Cd, As, Fe, Zn, and Cu in grape samples were measured as 0.055 ± 0.005, 0.030 ± 0.002, 0.044 ± 0.002, 2.882 ± 0.013, 2.372 ± 0.088, and 1.194 ± 0.01 μg g^-1. During pekmez production, the range of changes in Pb, Cd, As, Fe, Zn, and Cu was -43.38% to 40.25%, -55.49% to 0.23%, -76.15% to 1.80%, -74.15% to 58.47%, -40.55% to -18.12%, and -83.16% to -21.39%, respectively. The effect of the clarification process on the PTEs depended on the type and concentration of both PTE and clarifier agent used while the incorporation of gelatin resulted in a significant reduction in all of PT. Graphical abstract.

The prevalence of Brucella spp. in dairy products in the Middle East region: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Brucellosis, known as Malta fever or Mediterranean fever, is one of the most common bacterial zoonotic diseases caused by Brucella spp. which can result in serious health issues. The objective of the present study was to systematically review and summarize the studies regarding the prevalence of Brucella spp. in milk and milk products in the Middle East region. Some international databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar) were searched to retrieve relevant reports published between 1 January 2008 and 30th October 2018. After assessing for eligibility, 30 articles containing 9281 samples, were included in the current study. The highest number of publications were found in Iran and Turkey (n = 12 and 7, respectively), while Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Syria had the lowest number of publications (n = 1). Besides, the highest and lowest prevalence was observed in Kuwait (62%) and Egypt (15%), respectively. The highest and lowest overall prevalence of Brucella spp. in milk was found in raw cow milk 36% (95%CI: 28-54%) and raw buffalo milk 13% (95%CI: -22-48%), respectively. The overall prevalence in cheese estimated to be 9% (95%CI: -16-35%). The overall prevalence of Brucella spp. in dairy products in the Middle East was estimated to be 29% (95%CI: 23-35%). The results indicate that more risk management plans are needed to reduce the incidence of Brucella spp. in dairy products in the Middle East, especially in cow milk.

Concentration and Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements, Lead and Cadmium, in Vegetables and Cereals Consumed in Western Iran

The concentration of cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) in vegetable (potatoes, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, leeks, and carrots) and cereal (wheat and rice) samples collected from Iran were investigated by a graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. In addition, we determined the health risks due to exposure to Cd and Pb through vegetable and cereal consumption by computing the estimated daily intake, the target hazard quotient (THQ), the total THQ, and the margin of exposure. The mean concentrations of Pb in potato, onion, tomato, lettuce, leek, carrot, wheat, and rice samples were measured as 0.029 ± 0.011, 0.016 ± 0.012, 0.007 ± 0.005, 0.022 ± 0.020, 0.040 ± 0.048, 0.029 ± 0.025, 0.123 ± 0.120, and 0.097 ± 0.059 mg kg^-1 wet weight, respectively, and all were below the maximum allowable concentrations set by the European Union. The mean concentrations of Cd in potatoes, onions, tomatoes, lettuce, leeks, carrots, wheat, and rice samples were measured as 0.022 ± 0.013, 0.011 ± 0.009, 0.003 ± 0.003, 0.007 ± 0.005, 0.015 ± 0.024, 0.013 ± 0.011, 0.046 ± 0.043, and 0.049 ± 0.04 mg kg^-1 wet weight, respectively, and all were below the permissible levels established by the European Union. The corresponding values for the estimated daily intake of Cd were acceptable and lower than the provisional tolerable daily intake. The THQ and total THQ values of Cd through consumption of all vegetables and cereals were lower than 1. The margin of exposure values for Pb in samples were >1, showing no significant human health risks for both potentially toxic elements. The findings of this study indicated there is no risk associated with exposure to Pb and Cd through the intake of selected vegetables and cereals in western Iran.

The concentration of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in muscle tissue of farmed Iranian rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), feed, and water samples collected from the west of Iran: a risk assessment study

The pollution of the environment by potentially toxic elements (PTEs) is one of the most important raised concerns. Therefore, the current investigation was devoted to measuring the concentration of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), elemental mercury (Hg), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in muscle tissue of farmed rainbow trout (n = 30) as well as their feed (n = 15) and water (n = 15) samples collected from farms (Hamadan Province, Iran) by the aid of an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-OES). Also, the associated risk for human and biomagnification factor (BMF) and bioconcentration factor (BCF) for PTEs in the fish muscle through feed and water were calculated. The mean concentration of Pb, Cd, Hg, Ni, Fe, Zn, and Cu in rainbow trout muscle was reported as 0.056 ± 0.040 μg g^-1 wet weight, <LOD, 0.014 ± 0.016 μg g^-1 wet weight, 0.140 ± 0.188 μg g^-1 wet weight, 1.051 ± 0.909 μg g^-1 wet weight, 0.635 ± 0.725 μg g^-1 wet weight, and 0.275 ± 0.325 μg g^-1 wet weight, respectively, while all of the samples were contaminated in the concentrations below the permitted limits by regulatory bodies such as EC, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and WHO/FAO. No significant difference between the amounts of PTEs among the collected feed and water samples was noted, while the corresponded values for PTE concentrations also were lower than the allowable limits. The values of BMF and BCF for all analyzed PTEs through water and feed were lower than 1000, demonstrating that the rainbow trout muscle could not be considered as a bioaccumulative tissue for PTEs. Additionally, no health risk due to ingestions of investigated PTEs via consumption of this rainbow trout fish was noted.

Lead contamination in food consumed and produced in Brazil: Systematic review and meta-analysis

This systematic review (SR) evaluated evidence of lead (Pb) levels in foods consumed or produced in Brazil. Seventy-seven publications were included in this review, corresponding to a total of 8466 food samples that were grouped into 12 food categories with similar characteristics (infant food; sugar; beverages; meat and meat products; nuts, cocoa and products; fruits and fruit products; grains, cereals and products; milk and milk products; eggs; oil and fat spreads; vegetables and vegetable products and other foods). The random model was used to establish levels of Pb in food categories. We used the software R® to perform the meta-analysis. The overall occurrence of Pb was estimated at 0.0541 mg/kg, and ranged from 0.0004 mg/kg to 0.4842 mg/kg. The SR and meta-analysis presented relevant results about Pb contamination on foods, despite the high heterogeneity. They were understood as a viable strategy to answer questions regarding prevalence of Pb which is necessary for the risk assessment of Pb intake in foods.